Just how BIG will this fish grow?

I bought a Channel Catfish from an aquatics centre back in 1999. They told me it would grow to about 10 inches in length. I have a 5000 gallon pond in my garden where he lives. He`s now about 4ft in length and the last time I weighed him (in 2005) he was 65lbs. I feed him tinned cat/dog food twice a day at dawn and dusk. I wondered if anyone else had one? Or knew just how big he`s likely to get? And how long do they live for??? Thanks!

Just how BIG will this fish grow?
Channel Catfish are one of the largest fish found in Northern Virginia. They can grow to almost four feet long and up to 50 pounds, however they are usually much smaller. It is not uncommon to see a fish three feet long and twenty pounds.





Channel Catfish are usually slender and mostly bluish-gray. The sides may be light blue or silvery with scattered black spots, and the belly is white.





Channel Catfish have a large flat head with large eyes. They have an overbite and eight barbels (whiskers) around their mouths.





They can also be identified by their caudal (tail) fin, which is forked.
Reply:channel cats will get about 14-20 in, the thing is that ponds get low in temp in the winter. Probably a little lower than what they can with stand. So the best thing is to get them out of the pond, but it sounds like that may be a problem with you. But i think they will get closer to about 18 in. But that is in an aquarium, i guess it just depends on food, and things like that. But he probably has plenty of food. So he will probably get jsut that big
Reply:My husband is an avid fisherman and has seen them get up to 100lbs and 6 ft long. In the lake near where I grew up the scuba divers say there are some that are about 8ft long. they sit at the bottom and just filter feed.
Reply:Holy crap!





I don't even feed my DOG twice a day!!!





Your pond is huge, and you are feeding him rather well, so that's why he is huge!!!!





Alert the media you could have a recordholder there!!!
Reply:The size of the environment effects fishes' growing rate.Bigger the aquarium bigger the fish got it?





Usually they grow up to 50 lbs and around 1 meter (40 inches)





And they may live up to 35-40 years.


Dude you have a lifetime pet and you are feeding him too much :) buy him company for his lonely nights (this may make him lose some weight)
Reply:You must have a blue channel catfish. Apparently the store you bought him from that did not kknow what they were talking about. A blue channel cat is grey in color with a big head with long whiskers. A blue channel catfish will grow larger than a human in a lake. You have a small pond. apparently you must have a blue channel catfish if it is that big already. Look at the color of the fish. You need to learn the people you are buying you are buying your fish from. Always ask this ? What kind of fish is this? If they dont know dont buy it. If you don't know dont buy it.
Reply:i heard stories like 75-80 pounds


about age ??? dont sorry my dad had a catfish not sure what type for 15 years